Palazzo Lombardia groups all central regional offices, minimizing distances and simplifying relations with citizens.For a certain time, the tower, 160 metres high, has been the highest in Milan. However it had been surpassed by the tower of Unicredit, which is nearby and reaches 215 metres in height. The three skyscrapers of the "CityLife" area which will be built on what was previously the Fiera Milano trade fair district will also be higher than the Region's tower.The Region of Lombardy’s design for its Palazzo Lombardia comprises a 160-metre tower, four buildings with a sinusoid ground plan, and a square dedicated to the cities of Lombardy. The tower provides premises for the Regional government, the Press Office, and the presidential office.The design was inspired by the harmony of the peaks of the Lombard mountains. At the centre, there is a large piazza dedicated to the cities of Lombardy. This square has a glazed roof covering, and it is linked to two open squares towards Via Melchiorre Gioia and Via Pola.The area will provide many other important functions. Around Palazzo Lombardia, there will be a large park, a system of porticoes, pedestrian areas and recreation spaces. Activities will be provided by central facilities for exhibitions, museums, and auditoriums, which will enable the conduction of normal urban life. There will also be a series of restaurants, cafés, shops, a nursery school, a gym and a post office.The complex will adjoin a 100,000 square metre park and it is part of the overall refurbishment plan for the Garibaldi – Repubblica – Varesine area.As well as providing premises for the Region of Lombardy’s offices, the buildings will host a congress centre, conference halls, a library and a new media library.The project will be built in an area of 33,700 square metres between the streets Via Melchiorre Gioia, Via Restelli, Via Algarotti and Via Galvani.Upon completion of works, a reduced-size copy of the statue of the Madonnina (little Madonna) that stands on a spire of Duomo was erected on top of the building. It had originally been positioned on the Pirelli Skyscraper (127 metres).The structure will include a heliport, with a 30-metre diameter and the capacity to support a load of 6.4 tonnes.